Spacing machine



Dec. 15, 1925 G. P. THOMAS SPACING MACHINE Filed March- 6, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet l wmvsaass' Dec. 15, 1925- G. P. THOMAS sPAcING MACHINE' Filed March 6, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v vE/vTaR W/TNEsSEs &.%W

Dec. 15, 1925- G. P. THOMAS SPACING MACHINE UNE-- llllllllll 4 W/T/V Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

insane PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE r. THOMAS, or GLENsHAw, PENNSYLVANIA.

sPAcINe MACHINE.

Application filed. March 6, 1924.

To all whom it ma concern:

Be it known that I, G'iionon P. THoMAs, a citizen of the United States, "and a resident of Glenshaw, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Spacing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to spacing machines of the type disclosed in my prior patents, typical among which are Nos. 908,818, 1,17 5,196, 1,179, 17 5 and 1,2et5,530. These machines are used chiefly for feeding structural material, such as plates. angles,bean'1s, etc., through a machine for punching, drilling, or otherwise perforating them, and are provided with instrumentalities for arresting the moven'ient of material so that the holes may be perforated at pro-per space intervals.

A spacing machine of this type comprises a work carriage, which either directly supports the material being perforated, or pulls it along a work table which may be provided with rollers for supporting the material. The mechanism for stopping the carriage comprises a series of stops, usually in the form or closely spaced detents or teeth, and a movable sto' )-engagei-, usually in the form of a pawl, or series of adjacent pawls mounted for movements to and from the detents. In some cases, as for exaii'iple in the machine shown in said Patent No. 1,179, 17 5, the detents are arranged on rolls or drums borne by the spacing carriage; in other cases, as for example in one form of the machines shown in said Patent No. 1,175,196, the detents are borne on rolls arranged at the side of a spacing table er in another convenient position to act upon the connections for driving the carriage. However, in the preferred arrangement, the stopping detents are formed on, a bar attached to the work table on which the spacing carriage travels, as shown in said Patents Nos. 908,818 and 1,245,530. r

In all forms of machines shown in these and other of my patents the pawls are urged toward, hut normally held out of, engagemeat with the stopping detents, and the pawl holding means are released by pivoted lingers, whiclnconsequent upon the movement oi": the carriage, are en aged and moved by tripping members usually in the form of pins driven into a wooden strip at required spacing intervals, In some cases springs Serial No. 697,298.

urge the pawls toward the detents, but usually the pawls are arranged above the dete'nts so that when released they drop vertically under the force of gravity into engagement with them. In each construction the intervals of time between the release of the pawls and their engagement with the detents is the same. In other words, in a machine in which the p'awls are pivotally supported above a detent bar or rack, the distance between the pawl faces and the rack is constant throughout the extent of the rack, and hence the time required for the pawls to fall into engagement with the rack is the same upon each releasing of the 'pawls. The carriages, however, may, and sometimes do, move at different rates of speed when the pawl-releasing fingers are tripped, and when they do move at different rates of speed the result is that the pawls, while consuming uniform intervals of time in dropping, are carried forward to a greater or less extent, and hence engage detents differently disposed with relation to the tripping pins. This causes inaccuracies in spacing.

One of the specific objectsof this invention is to provide spacing machines of this type with means for causing the stop-engagers or pawls to move into engagement wi h the stops or detents in proportion to the rate of movement of the carriage, so that the carriage will be stopped regardless of its rate of movement at points having fixed relationship with the tripping pins or equivalent members.

In the preferred forms of this type of spacing machines the pawls are pivoted on the spacing carriage and are provided with a series of detents or teeth for engaging the stopping detents or racks. Because the p'awls are pivoted and swing on their pivot point both into and out of engagement with the rack teeth or detents, there is a limit to the number of teeth that may be formed on the pawls. It the limit is exceeded, the pawls will not properly swing into engagement with the rack teeth and will bind with the rack teeth when swung out of engagement with them. The net result of the use of a limited number of pawl teeth is that they are subjected to considerable wear making it necessary to replace the pawls from time to time. To overcome this it is a further object of the invention to construct and support the p'awls in such a man: her that they may be provided with an untill till

limited number of teeth, and accordingly with suiiicient teeth to so distribute the wear on them that the lives of the pawls may be greatly prolonged.

In the particular form of spacing machines shown in said Patent No. 1,245,530, the spacing carriage, after its forward movement has been checked, is caused to move rearwardly to adefinite position with the relation to the tripping pin or othe mem her. This is effected by causing the pawls which arrest the advance movement of the carriage to compress a buffer which subsequently reacts through a second set of pawls to cause the rear or retrograde movement of the carriage. A still further object of this invention is to provide this form of spacing machines with means whereby the pawls for stopping the advance movement of the carriage may also be used to check its retrograde movement, thereby eliminat ing the necessity of providing two sets of pawls and associated parts.

The invention is illustrated in the accon1 panying drawings, of which 1 is a plan view of a spacing carriage arranged upon a work table; Fig. 2 a combined vertical section and side elevation of the machine, the plane of view being indicated by the broken line IIII, Fig. 1; and Figs 3 and 4- views corresponding with Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, showing another embodiment of the invention.

The machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is the same as that disclosed in said Patent No. 1,245,530, as far as concerns the folowing features of construction:

A spacing carriage comprising a frame 1, having trucks 2, is mounted on a work table 3, provided with a detent bar or rack 4 having symmetrical teeth or detents affording oppositely-disposed stopping faces. Stopping pawls 5 and rebound pawls 6 are pivotallv supported by a frame '7, one end of which is mounted for longitudinal movement in a socket 48 attached to frame 1, and the other end of which is attached to arms 8 wh ch are pivotally attached to a bracket 9 secured to frame 1. A buffer spring 10 acts through a rod 11 and an arm 12 to yieldingly arrest the advance movements of the carriage, and to subsequently impartretrograde movements to it. The carriage is provided with a tripping lever 13 pivotally mounted on a rod 14 supported by arms 15 attached to a shaft 16 which is rotatablv mounted on frame 1 and provided with an operating arm 17. The lower end of lever 13 is held yieldingly in forward position against an adjustable stop 18 by means of a spring 19, and is provided with a pivoted trip finger 20 for successively engaging pins 21 secured to a strip 22 which is mounted on the work table. The carriage may be moved by a hand wheel 23 secured to a shaft 2 1 provided with a pinion 25 which engages a rack 26 mounted on the work table, or may be drivenby a motor in the manner disclosed in my Patent No. 1,088; 465. Also the turning of the shaft 26 may be effected by a solenoid in the manner disclosed in the last-mentioned patent in plate of arm 17.

The machine differs from that disclosed in Patent No. 1,2et5,530 in the matter of supporting the free ends of the pawls, and in the means for causing them to engage detent bar t. In the present machine the pawls are caused to move into engagement with tie detent bar at a rate prop ional to that of the movement of the carriage at the time linger 20 engages a pin 21. Pawls for arresting the advance movement of the carriage are normally held out of engagement with bar -l by a rod 27 extending through slots 28 formed in the pawls and engaged at its outer ends by the lower ends of bars 29, the upper ends of which are offset as indicated and pivotally attached to rocking discs 30 and 31. These discs are attached to a shaft 32, and disc 30 is provided with lugs 33 and 3 adapted to engage stops 3;? and 36, respectively. When pawls 5 are held upwardly lug 33 bears upon stop 3-1).

and the )ivot axis of the u) 381 ends of ha. 1'

29 lies slightly to the left or" the an .a shaft 32, thus tending to hold disc 30 in the position. When in this position the Oil in bars 29 clear shaft 32.

Rebound pawls 6 are provided with seats 3? which rest on lugs 38 formed on pawls 5 for supporting pawls 6 out of engagement with the detent bar. The free ends of pawl 6 are provided with slots. 39 in which there is arranged a rod 40 engaged at its outer ends by the lower ends of bars ll. the upper ends of which are pivotall v supported by rod 14-.

For lowering the pawls in proportion to the rate of movement of the carriage, the upper end of lever 1.3 connected by means of a link 1-2 to an arm attached to shaft arn') 4. being provided with a slot 4efor re eiving a pin atthe end of link 4372. For restoring pawls 5 to their elevated positions. shaft is provided with an arm having a slotted connection at its end to a link 4-6 attached to shaft 16 through an arm 47.

In the operation of the machine, the spacing carriage travels on table 3 to pull. blank or blanks through a punching machine. When. during the movement of the carriage. finger 20 engages a pin 21. lever 18 is caused to swing on rod 14-, and the upper end of this lever. through linl; 42 and arm 43, causes shaft 32, and hence discs 30 and 31, to rotate in a right-hand direction, as viewed in Fig. 2. This rotation of the discs moves the pivot points of the upper ends of bars 29 to the lnn Ill)

right and downwardly. and thus lowers the pawls into engagement with detent bar 4. With the tips of the teeth on pawls thus in engagement with the tips of the teeth on bar 41, the stopping point of the carriage is fixed and the bars may fall by gravity further and into firmer engagement with the teeth of bar 4, carrying lug 34L towards or into engagement with stop 36. does not determine the lowermost position of the pawls, but merely prevents discs 30 and 31 and the parts attached to it from turning more than the required amount. Vhen pawls 5 engage the detent bar the continued movement of the carriage causes them to move rearwardly with relation to the carriage. This separates pawls 5 from pawls 6, brings buffer spring into; play to arrest the advance movement of the carriage and subsequently brings rebound pawls 6 into action for effecting a retrograde movement of the carriage, as is fully explained in said Patent No. 1,245,530.

To reset thepawls for a succeeding stop, all that is necessary to do is to rotate shaft 16, which may be done by pressing lever 17 downwardly. By reason of the siZe and arrangement of slots 28 and 39 in p-awls 5 and 6, respectively, this movement of lever 17 results first in the releasing of pawls 6 and then in the releasing of pawls 5,, which are pressed forwardly to place their lugs 38 beneath seats 37 of pawls 6. The elevation of pawls 6 is effected through bars 11 and that of pawls 5 through link 1-6, arm 415, discs and 31, and bars 29. This cycle of operation is repeated each time the carriage is stopped, and in all cases, regardless of the speed of the carriage at the time finger 20 engages a pin 21, the carriage is stopped at a fixed distance with relation to the pin by reason of the direct chain of connections between finger 13 and bars 29 which support the pawls during their downward movements.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, a single set of pawls is constructed and arranged to cooperate with a detent bar in stopping the advance and rebound movements of a carriage; the pawls are provided with an extended series of stopping detents and are supported and moved to and from a rack in such. a manner that they may be provided with an unlimited number of detents or teeth; and provision is made for causing the pawls to move into engagement with the detents in proportion to the rate of moven'ient'of. the carriage.

\Vhile as far as concern such features of the invention the pawls may be variously formeth mounted and moved. they are preferably of the form indicated at 50, and are pivoted intermediate of their ends substantially in equilibrium upon a rod or bar 51 attached to carriage frame 49. For sunporting the pawls on this bar they are pro- This stop vided with a seat or hearing 52, from which they are moved when they engage detent bar 70, and adjacent to such seat there is an offset or recess 53 to receive bar 51 when the pa-wls are so unseated. When out of engagement with the detent bar, the forward ends of the pawls rest lightly upon a rod 5- 1 supported at its ends by links 55 the upper end of which are pivotally attached to pins 56 supported by arms 5'? attached to a shaft 58. A. tripping arm or lever 59 is also attached to shaft 58 and is provided at its lower end with a pivoted finger 60 adapted to engage pins 61 as the carriage is moved forwardly, that is to say to the right as viewed in the drawings. Arm 59 may be held yieldingly forwardly in pin-engaging position. and links 57 upwardly in pa'wl-supporting position, by means of a. counterweight 62 attached to shaft 58, the limit of movement of these members under the action of the counterweight being determined by a stop 63 carried by arms 80 which support shaft 58.

In this embodiment of the invention the pawls are pressed into engagement with the detent bar in proportion to the rate of movement of the carriage, rather than being grad ually let down, as in the machine of Figs. 1 and 2. For this purpose links are preferablyconnected to each other by brackets 64- and 65 which support a series of pins 66, one pin being arranged to bear upon each of the series of pawls 50. Each of the pins is independently urged yieldingly against the upper face of a pawl by means of a spring 6? acting between bracket 64- and houlder formed on the pin. Thus the pawls are held between the pins and rod 54, so that when arm 59 is swung rearwardly by engagement with a'pin 61 bars 55 move downwardly and through pins 6 1-. carry the outer ends of the pawls with them, bringing the forward teeth of the pawls into engagement with detent bar 70. The continued movement of the carriage causes the pawls to move rearwardly and off bar 51 with the result that the rear ends fall into engagement with the detent bar. thus bringing all the teeth of such pawls as are fully engaged by the detent bar into full contact with the teeth of the bar, and this in a manner which pre clndeS any binding action between the pawl and rack teeth.

At the rear of pawls 50 there is a linger 67 against which the pawls press after they are unseated. This finger is pivotally attached to an arm 68 connected to a shaft 69, which in turn is attached, by means of an arm 71 and a rod 72, to a buffer spring 73 which acts in the same manner as the buffer in the machine of Fi 1 and 2. In front of the upwardly prO ecting' portions of the pawls there are a series of fi11gers74- rotatably mounted on a shaft 75 attached to frame 4,9, there being a separate finger for each of the series of pawls. lVhen the pawls are in elevated position, the ends of finger 74: rest on seats 76 formed on the pawls, and, when the pawls move rcarwardly and fall into full engagement with the detent bar, lingers T l, or some of them, fall downwardly and lie in an offset 77 in the pawls. These fingers, acting upon the pawls in their offsets 77, bring the pawls into action in effecting the retrograde movement of the carriage, and thus a single set of pawls are used to check both the advance and rebound movements of the carriage.

For releasing the pawls from engagement with the detent bar, means are provided for first lifting fingers 74 from offsets 77. and then preferably raising the forward and subsequently the rearward ends of the pawls, although both may be raised. simultaneously. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, a rod 7 8 is arranged below the forward ends of the pawls and is engaged at its outer ends by links 7 9 pivotally suspended from arms 80, to the outer ends of which shaft 58 is attached as previously stated. Arms 80 are secured to a shaft 81, to which there is also attached a manually operable releasing arm 82 or some other mechanism for turning shaft 81 to raise arms 80, the lowermost positions of arms 80 being determined by arod 105 attached to frame 49. In a similar manner. the rear ends of the pawls are provided with slots through which there extends a rod 83 attached at its outer ends to links 84 pivotally supported by arms 85 attached to a shaft 86. Likewise fingers 74 are provided with slots through which there extends a rod 87 attached b links 88 to arms 89 secured to a shaft 90. Shafts 86 and 90 are attached by arms 91 and 92. respectively, to a rod 93 which is secured to an arm 94 attached to shaft 81. Slots are so formed in the rear ends of pawls 50 and in fingers 74. and rod 8 is so disposed below the forward ends of the pawls that when shaft 81 is rotated the several parts connected to it will be moved in the order stated.-that is. fingers 74 will be first moved above pawl-ofl:' sets 77. the forward ends of the pawls will then. be raised. and afterward the rear ends. Thus the pawls may be raised without any binding action between their teeth and those of the rack regardless of the number of teeth on the pawls.

To seat the pawls on bar 51 after they have been raised. a finger 95 yieldinsrlv presses against the rear of the pawls. This finger may be attached to shaft 96. to which there is also attached an arm 97 engaged by a spring 98 attached to frame 49. To re ease t e pressu e of trip finger 60 upon a pin 61 after the forward ends of the pawls have enga ed the detent bar and have accordingly fixed the stopping position of the carriage. a rod 99 may be pivotally attached to tripping arm and be provided at its other end with a hook or other equivalent connection 100, adapted to be engaged by an arm 101 attached to shaft 96. Thus, when the pawls more rearwardly after their forward ends have. engaged the detent bar, the rotation of afts 96, through finger 95 attached to it, causes arm 101 to move rearwardly and swing tripping arm 59 out of engagement with a pin 61.

its stated with respect to the machine of 1 and 2, the machine of Figs. 3 and 4 also be driven by a motor, and the shaft 81 rotated by a solenoid or equivalent automatic mechanism in the manner fully disclosed in said Patent No. 1,068,465.

in the operation of the machine of Figs. 3 and at, assuming the parts to be in the position shown, the for ard movement of the carriage brings tripping finger 60 into engagement with pin 61 and the continued movement of the carriage causes tripping arm 59 to swing rearwardly. This movement of the tripping arm acting through shaft 58, arms 57. pins 56, and links 55 with their attached. parts, lowers the forward ends of the pawls so that their forward teeth engage detent bar 70. As explained in my prior patents, the detents of the series of stopping pawls are offset with relation to each other so that all of the pawls do not fully engage the detent bars each time the carriage is stopped. Accordingly, when lowered the pawls are not all at the same elevation, and hence fingers 66, one of which acts on each pawl. are at different elevations when the pawls are lowered. The continned movement of the carriage, with the forward teeth of the pawls in engagement with the detent bar. causes the pawls to move rearwardly and off bar 51 on which they are normally pivotally supported. When moved from bar 51, the pawls drop into full engagement with the detent barafter which their rear faces engage finger 67 with the result that buffer spring 73 is compressed. Fingers T4, or some of them, then fall into the offsets 77 of the pawls and bring the pawls into play for effecting the rectrograde movement of the carriage.

To reset the stopping mechanism for the next advance movement of the carriage, shaft 81 is turned, as by means of lever 82. to effect first an elevation of fingers 7st and then in succession elevations of the forward and rear ends of the pawls, finger 74 being raised by links 88. the forward ends of the pawls by links 79 and their rear ends by links 84%. When the pawls are elevated. finger 95, under the action of spring 98. presses them forwardly until they rest upon their supporting bar 01. By releasing arm 82. shaft 81 turns backwardly until arms 80 engage rod 105. thus permitting the parts to occupy the positions shown in whlch they are in readiness for, the next advance movement of the carriage.

According to the provision of the patent statutes, I have described the principle and operation of my invention, together with two embodiments of some features of it. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the

invention may be practiced by other forms of construction than that particularly illusrated and described.

I claim:

1. In a spacing machine for perforating metal, the combination of a work carriage, and stopping mechanism therefor comprising a series of stops, a movable stop-engager, and means for causing the stop-engager to move into engagement with a stop in proportion to the rate of movement of the carriage.

2. In a spacing machine for perforating metal, the combination of a work carriage, stopping mechanism therefor including a series of stops and a stop-engager mounted for movements to and from said stops, means for. holding said stop-engager from engagement with the stops, a movable finger for releasing said holding means, adapted to be tripped by the movement of the carriage, and connections between said finger and sto 'i-engager for causing the latter to move into engagement ith said stops in proportion to the rate of n'r vement of the car :iage at the time the finger is tripped.

3. In a spacing machine for perforating metal, the combination of a work carriage, stopping mechanism therefor including a series of detents and a movable pawl adaoted to engage said detents, means for holding the pawl from engagement with the detents, a pivoted finger for releasing said holding means adapted to be .tripped by the movement of the carriage, and connections between said finger and'pawl for nursing the latter to move into engagement with said dctents in proportion to the rate of movementof the carriage at the time said finger is tripped.

4. In a spacing machine for perforating metal the combination of a table provided with a series of stops, a work carriage on the table provided with movable stop-engager normally held from engagement with said stops, and means for causing the stopengager to move into engagement with a stop in proportion to the rate of movement of the carriage.

5. In a spacing machine for perforating metal, the combination of a work table provided with a series of stops, a work carriage on the table provided with a movable stop-engager, means for holding the stop engage-r from engagement with, said stops, a movable finger for releasing said holdin means, a series of elements mounted on sai with a stopping dctent bar, a work carriage on the table having a pivoted pawl adapted to engage said detents, means for holding the pawl from engagement with the detents, a pivoted finger for releasing said holding means, a series of elements mounted npon said table for engaging said finger as the carriage moves, and connections between said finger and pawl for causing the latter to move into engagement with the detcnts i proportion to the rate of movement of the carriage at the time the finger is tripped.

7. In a spacing machine for perforating metal, the combination of a table provided with a detent bar, a work carriage on the table, a pawl pivotally mounted on the carriage and adapted to engage said bar. means for holdingthe pawl from engagement with the bar, a pivoted finger for releasing said holding means, a series of pins mounted on said table for engaging said finger as the carriage moves, and connections including a yielding member between said finger and pawl for causing the latter to move into engagement with said bar in proportion to the rate of movement of the carriage at the time the finger is tripped.

S. In a spacing machine for metal perforating, the combination of a table provided with a detent bar, a work carriage on the table, a series of adjacently disposed pawls each provided with teeth for engaging said bar, the teeth of each pawl being offset with relation to those of the other pawls, means for normally holding the pawls from engagement with said bar, a pivoted finger for releasing said holding means, a series of elements mounted on said table for tripping said finger, and connections between said finger and pawls for causing the latter to move into engagement with said bar, said connections including a separate yielding member for each pawl.

9. In a spacing machine for metal perforating, the combination of a table provided with a detent bar, a work carriage on the table provided with a stopping pawl having an extended series of teeth for engaging said bar, and means responsive to the movement of the carriage for causing the forward and rear portions of said pawl to engage said bar in succession.

10. In a spacing machine for metal perforating, the combination of a table provided with a detent bar, a Work carriage on the table provided with a pivoted stopping pawl i of teeth for engaging said bar and provided with a seat for resting the pawl pivotally on said rod, and ,"l18l' provided with an opening adjacent at :l'or receiving said rod when the iseated. and means responsive to ent of the carriage for causing the ortion of the pawl to engage said continued n'iovement of the care pawl to become nnseated and o drop into engagement with spacing machine tor perforating; 1e etnnbination ot' a table provided an: lie-wing; detents with oppositely stopping faces, a pawl provided with oppositely disposed faces to engage said e -t, said. pawl being movable to and from bar-engaging: position and being also movable longitudinally of the carriage, a butter for resisting; movement of the pawl rearwardly ot' the carriage when the pawl has been moved to bar-engaging position, and means for causing said pawl to limit subsequent retrograde movement of the carriage.

l3. In a spacing maohlne 1"01' perforating metal, the combination of a table provided with a. detent bar, a work carriage movable upon the table, an elongate stopping pawl having an extended series of teeth for oilgaging said her. means borne by said car- 'i qe for en oy I 5 said pa l adiacent to its .orward and rearward ends and supporting 1e pawl above and in alignment with said t bar, and means responsive to the :e ent mivement oi the carriage for releasing first he forward and then the rearward pawl support whereby the forward and rearward portions of the pawl successively engage said bar.

14-. in a spacing machine for perforating metal, the combination of a table provided with a bar having detcnts with oppositely uiflSQtl stopping: faces. a pawl provided with oppositely disposed faces, to engage said detent ha r. said pawl being movable to and from hanenaagine position and being also movable immitudinally ot' the carriage. a spring bnli'er :tor resisting movement of the pawl rearwardly ot' the carriage when the pawl has been moved to bar-engagingposition, and a movable lock borne by said w iae'e ior en ra s ing said pawl to limit sequent retrograde movement of the car spacing machine for perforating combination of a table provided w'ti i; bar having det-ents with oppositely disposed stopping faces, a pawl provided with oppositely disposed faces to engage Said detent bar said pawl being movable to and from bar-engaging position and being also movable longitudinally of the carriage a spring butter for resisting movement of the oawl rearwardly of the carriage when the pawl has been moved to bar-engaging position, and a. finger pivotally borne by said carriage for engaging said pawl after the pawl has been moved into bar-engaging position whereby said finger acts through said pawl to limit the retrograde movement of the carriage.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

GEORGE P. THOMAS. 

